Brewing with Elderflowers

[David Edge]

The elderflowers are out, if not ripe yet. They can be a lovely addition to a beer so I've added some information to the News section of the CBA website
http://www.craf tbrewing.org.uk

Happy brewing all.

[David Edge]

Thanks for that DaaB

Having worked through them is the consensus that 2g/l dried is far too much, but that nobody's quite sure yet what's about right?

It's hardly surprising it's high as we've used 2g/l fresh and the rule down in the kitchen is to use a third of the volume dried as fresh. Not sure about the weight ratio. While a herb will dry to a fifth of the original weight, but presumably there is some loss of flavour in the process. At that reckoning around 0.5g/l would still be top end; perhaps 0.2g/l dried would be a nice hint. What has anyone else found?

There is no doubt variation between trees, habitats and individual years - it's all part of the fun. Whatever the natural variation is it's probably less of a problem than people guessing 5g/l and having to use it as aftershave.

I'll get Janette to add a summary and credit the forum once a few folk have had their hap'orth if that's ok. Once it passes from the news page the info will be kept in 'Supplies, Herbs and Spices' on the CBA site.

[oblivious]

Apparently Gorse flowers have been used to add extra flavour and colour to beer in Denmark, whisky in Ireland, and wine and tea in Britain.

Gorse wine, is said to be a lovely greenish yellow wine which tastes very refreshing.

[scarer]

Thanks for that DaaB

Having worked through them is the consensus that 2g/l dried is far too much, but that nobody's quite sure yet what's about right?

It's hardly surprising it's high as we've used 2g/l fresh and the rule down in the kitchen is to use a third of the volume dried as fresh. Not sure about the weight ratio. While a herb will dry to a fifth of the original weight, but presumably there is some loss of flavour in the process. At that reckoning around 0.5g/l would still be top end; perhaps 0.2g/l dried would be a nice hint. What has anyone else found?

There is no doubt variation between trees, habitats and individual years - it's all part of the fun. Whatever the natural variation is it's probably less of a problem than people guessing 5g/l and having to use it as aftershave.

I'll get Janette to add a summary and credit the forum once a few folk have had their hap'orth if that's ok. Once it passes from the news page the info will be kept in 'Supplies, Herbs and Spices' on the CBA site.

The reference to per litre above, does that mean the litres left in the boiler at the time of adding the dried elderflower i.e. with 15 mins to go?

I'm currrently brewing an elderflower ale so it would be good to know soon

[Andy]

I would have thought that the "litres" part would refer to your target volume in the fermenter.

[David Edge]

It was based on nominal batch size. For Janette's article and more see:

http://www.craft brewing.org.uk/old/herbsspices/

It's been moved off the main site while we find someone to review them.

[scarer]

Sorry David but by nominal batch size what do you mean exactly?

[Andy]

Beer volume in fermenter(s).

[scarer]

Thought so, cheers Andy

[David Edge]

I'm a brewer not a pharmacist. By nominal I mean nominal in the sense of "a five gallon brew" or "six feet of 2x1".

Start of boil 45 litres
End of boil 40 litres
In the bottle 37 litres

So 2g/l would be between 75 and 90g. Unless you have some exotic device for measuring the essential oil content that really is near enough. If you read the article you'll see there is a considerable degree of hand waving and reference to rates between 0.7g/l and 2g/l.

While I'm in full rant, I sometimes see people considering slashing their wrists because some break material has got into the fermenter. I was discussing this with a successful commercial brewer at the weekend and I couldn't even persuade him that there was such a thing as cold break.

Thank heavens women aren't so neurotic or I'd starve to death and those who know me will have noticed there's no fear of that.

[scarer]

Cheers David, I'm still very much a "newbie" at this so your information and experience is much appreciated

[Matt]

Thank heavens women aren't so neurotic or I'd starve to death